Sliding lid boxes



. 1968 o. G. MUELLER 3,362,564

I SLIDING LID BOXES Filed. Oct. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 0564P Mai-215 Ja n 9, 1968 Q G. MUELLER 3,362,564

SLIDING LID BOXES v Filed Oct. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 0564? G M5445? 3,302,564 Patented Jan. 9, 1968 3,362,564 SLIDING LID BGXES Gscar G. Mueller, 1716 W. Louise, R0. Box 352, Grand Island, N ebr. 68801 Filed Get. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 404,272 10 Claims. ((31. 220-41) This invention relates to sliding lid boxes, especially but not necessarily of plastic material.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of boxes of the kind indicated, which have the following advantageous features:

(1) All outside surfaces of the boxes are flush with their lids in closed position;

(2) The lids snap into place in the tops of the boxes for assembling of the lids and the boxes;

(3) Continuous frames on the undersides of the lids provide stiffening or reinforcement which keeps the lids Hat and rigid;

(4) In one form of box, a built-out tab, on one end of the lid which seats in a cut-out, in the related end of the box, facilitates opening of the lid;

(5) The lids can be opened from one direction only;

(6) The ends of the lid make close sealing contacts with the end walls of the box, to prevent spillage of contents of the boxes, particularly from one end of the boxes, while the lids are in partially open positions;

(7) Slideways on the side walls of the boxes, on which the lids slide, which prevent the lids from being accidentally pressed into the boxes, when partially open or during assembly of the lids to the boxes;

(8) The lids cannot be removed from the boxes after assembly, without substantial distortion of the boxes;

(9) Stops on the lids can be positioned to control the amount of opening of the lids;

(10) The assembled boxes are of the same dimensions with the lids in place;

(11) The main features of the boxes'are adapted to any boxes having at least two straight parallel sides, the contour of the bottoms of the boxes being optimal and non-critical;

12 In one of the boxes, front and rear walls of differing heights provide for easier access to the contents of the box; and afford ready means for indexing the position of the box in automatic loading equipment, and that of the lid.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one form of device of the invention, showing its lid in partially open position;

FIGURE 2 is a front end elevation of FIGURE 1, taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a rear end elevation of the device;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3, showing the lid in closed position;

FIGURE 6 is a view, like FIGURE 5, showing the lid in full open position;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a View, like FIGURE 1, of another form of device of the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a front end elevation of the device of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a partial longitudinal section taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 9, showing the lid in closed position;

FIGURE 11 is a view, like FIGURE 10, showing the lid in full open position; and,

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale of FIGURE 11.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and first to FIGURES 1 to 7 thereof, the illustrated box 14 comprises a box body 16, and a sliding lid 18, both of optimally rectangular form.

The box body 16 comprises a bottom wall 20, parallel side walls 22, a front end wall 24, and a rear end wall 26. The side walls 22 are of the same height and length. The end walls are of the same length, but the rear end wall 26 is slightly shorter than the front end wall 24, its upper edge 23 being spaced downwardly, relative to the upper edges 30, of the side walls, at a smaller distance than the upper edge 32 of the front end wall 24, as seen in FIGURE 6. Both of the upper edges of the end walls are spaced downwardly from the upper edges of the side walls.

The inner or front surface of the front end wall 24, is formed adjacent to and extending to its upper edge 32 with a transverse horizontal groove 34, adapted to fiushly accommodate a front part of the lid 18, as explained hereinafter.

The front end wall 24 is formed with vertical slots 36, opening to its upper edge 32, and located at the inner surfaces of the side walls 22, to accommodate side portions of the lid 18, as explained hereinafter.

The rear end wall 26 is formed, in its outer or front surface, with a transverse horizontal groove 38, opening to its upper edge 28, adapted to flushly accommodate a rear part of the lid 13, as explained hereinafter.

The upper edge 32 of the front wall 24 is additionally formed, to the depth of the groove 34, with a centrally located concave notch 4ft, to accept a front end part of the lid 18, as hereinafter set forth.

The inner surfaces of the box body side walls 22 are formed with slideways, each of which comprises a lower horizontal rib 42, whose top is located substantially on a level with the bottoms 44 of the slots 36, in the front end wall 24; and an upper horizontal V-shaped groove 46, whose top is substantally on a level with the upper edges 30 of the side walls 22.

The lid 13, which is sized and shaped to conform to the box body 16, comprises a top Wall 48, parallel side walls 50, a front end wall 52, and a rear end wall 54.

The lid side walls 50 are slightly wider than the spaces between the lower ribs 42 and the grooves 46 on the box body side walls, as shown in FIGURE 4, so that the lower edges 56 of the lid side walls bear upon the lower ribs 42. The lid side walls 50 have, at the level of the top wall 48, V-shaped ribs 58, which slide in, and are adapted to be snapped into the grooves 46, in assembling the lid 18 to the box body 16.

The end walls of the lid 18 are substantially shorter than the lid side walls, and their lower edges are spaced upwardly from the lower edges 56 of the lid side walls 50.

The rear end wall 54 of the lid is wider than the groove .38 in the rear end wall 26 of the box body. The inner side of the rear lid wall 54 has a lower edge 62, and is about half the thickness of the rear end wall 26 of the box body, so that, as shown in FIGURE 5, the lid rear wall 54 seats in the groove 38, in the closed position of the lid, so that the rear end wall of the lid and the rear end wall of the box body are flush with each other.

The front end wall 52 of the lid 18 is formed, in its outer or front surface, with a horizontal transverse groove 66, which extends to its lower edge 68, which is proportioned to seat in the groove 34 in the rear or inward surface of the box body front end wall 24., as shown in FIG- URE 5, when the lid is in its closed position. The front end wall 52 is further formed with a forwardly outstandfinger piece '70, which conforms in shape to and is adapted to be secured in the concave notch 4% in the box body front end wall 2 These arrangements put the lid front end wall flush with the front end wall of the box body, when the lid is in closed position.

top means for stopping the lid 18 in a nearly full open position of the lid on the box body ltd, are in the form of vertical lugs 72, on and extending laterally inwardly from the lid side walls 50, at a location near to and spaced forwardly from the rear end wall of the lid, the lugs "72 being adapted to engage the front surface of the box body rear end wall 25, in the open position of the lid, as shown in FEGURE 6.

A centrally positioned, downwardly extending hernispherical knob 74 extends downwardly from the top wall 48 of the lid 18, at a point near to and spaced from the front end wall 54 of the lid 18, and is adapted to snap over and behind the upper edge of the rear end wall 26 of the box body 16, to serve as a friction catch for holding the lid 18 in closed position.

It is to be noted that, in the closed position of the lid 18, the interfitting and sealing engagements of the related components of the lid and of the box body 16, are such that spilling out of the contents of the box, even of comminuted material, is positively prevented.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 8 to 12, and generally designated 14a, is similar in construction to the device 14 of FIGURES l to 7, except for the finger piece 7t) and the accommodating notch 4-8 of FIGURES l to 7.

The box body front end wall 24a of the device 14a is devoid of the groove 34 of the corresponding wall of the device 14, and its upper edge 32a is devoid of a notch 40. In accord with this modified structure, the front end wall 52a of the lid 18a is devoid of a groove on. This affords a more rigid and strong front end construction for the lid 18a, and affords also a wider area, than the finger piece 70, of FIGURES 1 to 7, for the opening of the lid.

Further, the height of the box body front end wall 24a, and, correspondingly, the height of the lid front end wall 52a can be varied, such as to provide easier front end access to the contents of the box body lea.

As shown in FIGURE 10, in the closed position of the lid 18a, its front end wall 52a seats upon the upper edge 32a of the box body front end wall 24a, with their outer surfaces in flush relationship.

What is claimed is:

1. A sliding lid box comprising a box body having side walls and front and rear end walls, said side walls being formed with internal slideways, and a lid having side walls and front and rear end walls, the lid side walls having external means slidably confined in the slideways, said slideways comprising longitudinal ribs spaced downwardly from and paralleling the upper edges of the box body side walls and longitudinal grooves in the box body side walls spaced above and paralleling the ribs.

2. A sliding lid box comprising a box body having side walls and front and rear end walls, said side walls being formed with internal slideways, and a lid having side walls and front and rear end walls, the lid side walls having external means slidably confined in the slideways, said slideways comprising longitudinal ribs spaced downwardly from and paralleling the upper edges of the box body side walls and longitudinal grooves in the box body side walls spaced above and parallelling the ribs, said means comprising lower edges of the lid side walls bearing upon the ribs and against the inner surfaces of the box side walls, and external longitudinal ribs adjacent and paralleling the upper edges of the lid side walls.

3. A sliding lid box comprising a box body having side walls and front and rear end walls, said side walls being formed with internal slideways, and a lid having side walls and front and rear end walls, the lid side walls having external means slidably confined in the slideways, said slideways comprising longitudinal ribs spaced downwardly from and paralleling the upper edges of the box body side walls and longitudinal grooves in the box body side walls spaced above and paralleling the ribs, and stop means on the inner surfaces of the lid side walls adapted to engage the box body side wall in the open position of the lid.

4. A sliding lid box comprising a box body having side walls and front and rear end walls, said side walls being formed with internal slideways, and a lid having side walls and front and rear end walls, the lid side walls having external means slidably confined in the slideways, said slideways comprising longitudinal ribs spaced downwardly from and paralleling the upper edges of the box body side walls and longitudinal grooves in the box body side walls spaced above and paralleling the ribs, and stop means on the inner surfaces of the lid side walls adapted to engage the box body side wall in the open position of the lid, said lid having a top wall from which its other walls extend downwardly, and a friction catch knob on the underside of said top wall adapted to snap over the rear end wall of the box body, as the lid is moved toward closed position.

5. A sliding lid box comprising a box body having side walls and front and rear end walls, said side walls being formed with internal slideways, a lid having a top wall, side walls and front and rear end walls, the walls the walls of the lid extending downwardly from its top wall, the side walls of the box body and the side walls of the lid being straight and in parallel relationship, external means on the lid side walls .slidably confined in said slideways, the box body front and rear end walls being formed with vertical slots opening to their upper edges and receiving the lid side walls.

6. A sliding lid box according to claim 5, wherein, the rear end wall of the box body is formed, at its upper edge, with an external groove in which the rear end wall of the lid is adapted to seat, with the outer surfaces of these walls flush with each other.

7. A sliding lid box according to claim 5, wherein the front end wall of the box body is formed, at its upper edge, with an internal groove adapted to receive the front end wall of the lid with the outer surfaces of these walls flush with each other.

8. A sliding lid box according to claim 5, wherein the front end wall of the box body is formed, at its upper edge, with an internal groove adapted to receive the front end wall of the lid with the outer surfaces of these walls flush with each other, the front end wall of the lid being formed with an external groove adapted to conform to the internal groove of the box body front end wall.

9. A sliding lid box according to claim 5, wherein the front end wall of the box body is formed, at its upper edge, with an internal groove adapted to receive the front end wall of the lid with the outer surfaces of these walls flush with each other, the front end wall of the lid being formed with an external groove adapted to conform to the internal groove of the box body front end wall, the front end wall of the box body being formed with a central upwardly opening notch, and the front end wall of the lid being formed with an external finger piece adapted to seat in said notch in the closed position of the lid. 4

10. A sliding lid box according to claim 5, wherein, the rear end Wall of the box body is formed, at its upper edge,

with an external groove in which the rear end Wall of the lid is adapted to seat, with the outer surfaces of these Walls flush with each other, the box body front end Wall having an upper edge spaced below the upper edges of the box body side Walls, the front end Wall of the lid having a lower edge positioned to bias upon the upper edge of the box body front end with, in the closed position of the lid, With the outer surfaces of these Walls flush with each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Casper 22041 Jefifers et a1. 22041 Horland 220-41 Zimmet.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

10 JAMES R. GARRETT, Assistant Examiner. 

4. A SLIDING LID BOX COMPRISING A BOX BODY HAVING SIDE WALLS AND FRONT AND REAR END WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING FORMED WITH INTERNAL SLIDEWAYS, AND A LID HAVING SIDE WALLS AND FRONT AND REAR END WALLS, THE LID SIDE WALLS HAVING EXTERNAL MEANS SLIDABLY CONFINED IN THE SLIDEWAYS, SAID SLIDEWAYS COMPRISING LONGITUDINAL RIBS SPACED DOWNWARDLY FROM AND PARALLELING THE UPPER EDGES OF THE BOX BODY SIDE WALLS AND LONGITUDINAL GROOVES IN THE BOX BODY SIDE WALLS SPACED ABOVE AND PARALLELING THE RIBS, AND STOP MEANS ON THE INNER SURFACES OF THE LID SIDE WALLS ADAPTED 